Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10
nENRIC0 POLITICS.
Speeches by Friends Of the Fusion
Candidates and Of the Convention
Nominees &c.

: A rally or mass-meeting Of the cit
zens OF Henrico was held at the count
courthouse, Twenty-second and Mai
streets, yesterday afternoon. The hou
named for the assembling Of the Grove
was 8 o'clock, but il was nearer whel
: Mr.. s. b. CHM, of Brookland district
assembled the judges platform. in tn,
courthouse, and sounded his gayel ant
I called the body to order. The court
room was well filled. about rs per cent
or more OF those present being colored
The circumstances under which tn,
: meeting was called were these On
Tuesday last convention of twelve
J delegates from each of the four dis
tricts Of the county. elected from mass
meetings the day before, was held u
nominate q ticket for county officers
The delegates elected 10 the convention
spent the greaterpart, il notall, Of Mon
day night in caucus with certain candi
dates. and when the convention assem-
blcd IT was with locked doors. Several
of the candidates among them vii.
liam Taylor (present incumbent),
ridge, who opposed Mr.. George
w. Thomas for Commonwealth
attorney-not being satisfied with
what was going ON, declined 10
submit their names TO the convention,
and with about 80 followers retired
TO hall across the street and there
framed what was called the - fusion u
ticket, with these two on it. 1t was a
committee from this meeting that is
sued the circular published in Thurs
days Dispatch, calling the. meeting
held yesterday. All men, regardless OF
present or past party utilization, were
invited.
Mr.. BEyERIDGE SPEAKS.
Mr.. CHM, in calling the meeting TO
order, said that its object was to hear
the views Of the nominees on the I" fu-
sion " or independent ticket. The first
one introduced was Mr.. William H..
Beveridge, the candidate for Common
wealth's attorney.
| Mr.. Beveridge expressed gratitude
at being permitted to address such a
multitude, and said that he was a can
didate in the field for the the people
and their interest in opposition to ring
rule and corruption. He severely crit
icised the manner in which the dele
gates were elected from Brookland
district by ring, in direct opposi-
ton to the wishes of the people /;
in the interest of ticket which had
been cut and dried, and characterized
the convention, with delegates locked
up, as a disgrace and outrage ON free
| people. The speaker said he would
have bnt little to say personally about
the men on the convention ticket, ex-
cept Mr.. George Washington Thomas,
who vas renominated for Common
wealth's attorney m m opposition to him
self. He urged Mr.. 1hoc'as's incom,
! potency as the reason why he snoui,
not be elected, and cited in support OF
this position the action of the b9ard OF
Supervisors in paying during last ye~t
5000 to other counsel 70 assist in the
prosecution Of cases in The County
Court. He also said that although
Thomas haG teen at the bar for thirteen
years he had never gained any practice
nor mace any money except what
ne dew out of the county treasury, ard
90 this he was not entitled. He (Beve-
RIDGE had been practicing law but five
years, and last year he made, as will be
sLown by bis books, $4,000. lie fur
ther alleged that Mr.. Thomas would
never prosecute any one near an cleo
ton for fear that it would injure his
prospects for reelection. Mr.. Beve-
ridge spoke for a half hour, and was
strong in his denunciation of the man
ner in which the delegates were
elected last Monday, and the pro-
ceedings of the convention COM
Quoted. He styled the ticket as V. NJ.
L.-yice, misery, and ignorance. ne
was conducting this fight from princi-
pie, and would surrender If his friends
should see fit to put better man in the
field otherwise he intended 10 see
every respectable man and woman in
the county, and make thorough cam
vass. A committee Of ten-fve white
and as many colored-would be APP
pointed from each district to push the
work forward, and on the day of cleo
ton, with bands Of music and BAN
ners floating to the breezes, with
the inscription, Peace on earth,
good will to. men," The speaker
devoted much of his time to A. j.
Estes, a prominent colored Republican,
TO whom he gave much credit for the
result of Tuesdays work, and OF whom
he spoke in not very friendly terms.
He closed by appealing to all to support
his ticket for good and honest govern
ment as opposed to ring rule and cor
ruption. Mr.. Beveridge was frequent
ly interrupted with questions, to which
he replied aptly.
| TREASURER TAYLOR.
The next speaker was Treasurer Will
liam Taylor, who has held this Office
for four years, but who was not nomi-
mated by the convention. He said that
to money and whiskey were the results
of the convention due. Who could
stand against Wilbur Southwark, the
greatest trickster on the continent ?
When he came into Office in July, 1888,
the county was bankrupt and s., 900 in
debt. Thishas all been paid there is not
q claim against the county, and she has
SIC, O00 to her credit "Shall |, after
having done this much for the county,
be turned out ?" asked Mr.. Taylor.
ran mol" from all over the house. ]
Mr.. Taylor had nothing personal to say
against any one, but deplored the
shameful manner in which things had
been managed, and thought Mr.. South
ward was largely responsible for it.
| OTHER SPEECHES.
Mr.. Joseph c. Redwood, commits
sioner of the revenue forthe Lower dis
trict, made brief speech, announcing
himself as candidate for reelection.
| Speeches ranging in length from five
TO fifteen minutes were made by Tuck
er Coles, John Lee Cost, Henry Carter,
w. L. Brock, and Henry Digges-all
colored except Brock-supporting Bey-
eridge, Taylor & Company, and extoll-
ing their merits also condemning the
action of the convention in conducting
secret session. All of them harped
on the delegates to the convention hav.
ing been brought ont by Southwark and
followers.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Juef after Mr. Redwood took his seat